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Sunday, November 18, 2007

MONDAY 33RD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

NOVEMBER 19, 2007MONDAY 33RD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - YEAR I

1 MACCABEES 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63[From the descendants of Alexander's officers] there sprang a sinfuloffshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of King Antiochus, once a hostageat Rome. He became king in the year one hundred and thirty-seven ofthe kingdom of the Greeks. In those days there appeared in Israel menwho were breakers of the law, and they seduced many people, saying:"Let us go and make an alliance with the Gentiles all around us; sincewe separated from them, many evils have come upon us." The proposalwas agreeable; some from among the people promptly went to the king,and he authorized them to introduce the way of living of the Gentiles.Thereupon they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem according to the Gentilecustom. They covered over the mark of their circumcision and abandonedthe holy covenant; they allied themselves with the Gentiles and soldthemselves to wrongdoing. Then the king wrote to his whole kingdomthat all should be one people, each abandoning his particular customs.All the Gentiles conformed to the command of the king, and manychildren of Israel were in favor of his religion; they sacrificed toidols and profaned the sabbath. On the fifteenth day of the monthChislev, in the year one hundred and forty-five, the king erected thehorrible abomination upon the altar of burnt offerings and in thesurrounding cities of Judah they built pagan altars. They also burnedincense at the doors of the houses and in the streets. Any scrolls ofthe law which they found they tore up and burnt. Whoever was foundwith a scroll of the covenant, and whoever observed the law, wascondemned to death by royal decree. But many in Israel were determinedand resolved in their hearts not to eat anything unclean; theypreferred to die rather than to be defiled with unclean food or toprofane the holy covenant; and they did die. Terrible affliction wasupon Israel.

LUKE 18:35-43As Jesus approached Jericho a blind man was sitting by the roadsidebegging, and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening.They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." He shouted, "Jesus,Son of David, have pity on me!" The people walking in front rebukedhim, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more,"Son of David, have pity on me!" Then Jesus stopped and ordered thathe be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, "What doyou want me to do for you?" He replied, "Lord, please let me see."Jesus told him, "Have sight; your faith has saved you." He immediatelyreceived his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. When theysaw this, all the people gave praise to God.

REFLECTIONToday's Gospel is about Bartimaeus. When he heard that Jesus ofNazareth was passing by, he seized the opportunity to call on him,"Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!" He was told by the people tokeep quiet. They were actually telling him to stop praying, but heshouted even louder, for he knew that Jesus would hear him and answerhis prayer. There was no doubt in his mind that Jesus would cure him.

When we receive a gift from the Lord, do we go our own selfish way anduse it only for ourselves, or do we go up the road with Jesus to shareit with other people who may need more help than we do?

There is yet another message in today's reading. Having been giventhe gift of sight since our birth, it is so easy for us to take forgranted the many other wonderful gifts of God which surround us. Aconscious effort to be aware of these marvelous gifts of God shouldconvince us that miracles do happen every day. It is an invitation forus to follow Christ and give praise to God, as the blind man did,after his physical and spiritual healing.

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